Of Gods and Monsters
by RavenLaverne
Summary: It was half a decade ago when the people pf Berk saw the burst of light. It was a half a decade ago when the lands were plagued by uncontrollable ice and snow. No one really knew what happened on that tragic day but one thing is for certain, it wasn't human, and Hiccup was destined to know why. Hiccup/Jack pairing. Dragon AU. Smut in later chapters.
1. Chapter 1 - The Bounty

**Epilogue**

"You can't keep me in here!" Jack yelled at his mother as the raging storm blew ice and the heavens sent hail crashing on earth. Naturae had to keep her son or else a lot of people will perish, as much as it pained her to see him in such distress she had to do this.

Naturae was from the dragon tribe of Ireland. She was one of the most powerful dragons in their specie but much to the dismay of her people, she wasn't blood thirsty and she sought out numerous ways in which they could live in harmony with the humans. During the great travel to the north, they were accompanied by different types of dragons and that was where she met Frigus. Frigus was the mighty leader of the Norwegian Glaciem tribe. The two flew alongside each other as the representatives of their people. Shortly after, they developed feeling for each other and decided to marry. This union bore a child whom they named Jacques or simply Jack. The three were a happy family and longed to live by each other's sides for as long as they can but since Frigus was a leader he couldn't stay with his wife and child so he bade them farewell, leaving Naturae with their only child.

She soon found out that the boy was the reincarnation of the Jötun giantess Skadi, the goddess of ice and snow, and the descendant of the great ruler of all dragon kind named Fortis Draconis, a dragon of many talents. A boy with having so much power is a danger to anyone even his own and especially humans. Dragons and humans haven't established a law and order about their territories and they are still in constant battle. Although some of the reptiles would be alright about Jack roaming free and unintentionally wreaking havoc amongst the mortals, Naturae didn't want that. She wanted the constant killing to end and to prevent a war but most importantly, she wanted to keep her son safe.

"Sweetie, this is for your own good" she said as she pushed her son towards the tower. Her wings being larger were stronger than Jack's who was only 13 years old at that time. The woman's heart broke as she saw the crystal tears that formed around her son's white dragon eyes. No one would ever mistake them for being related because of the distinct differences they had. Jack had white scales that looked blue when light reflected on them, icicle looking spikes protruded from his back and extended unto the top of his head, and he sported wings that were almost translucent in the sun. His mother, however, had green scales that helped her blend in forests, her spikes were a muddy color and traveled down her back, her wings had hook-like nails and she had yellow eyes.

"Mother please…"

"I'm sorry baby…"

Jack tried to fight his mother despite his size but she was just too strong for him. As his arms gave out, he let out a loud cry. He was defeated and was trapped inside that tower. The structure was reinforced by dragon repellant spells from the outside and a chain of iron wrapped around it. Naturae looked around and saw a surge of ice spreading all over the forest. Her son's outburst caused snow to cover the lands but she couldn't make him take it back. Jack was still unstable and he couldn't control his abilities, if he tried to fix it he may even do worse damage.

"Jack…please forgive me…"

The woman's eyes watered as she bid farewell to her only son. She was sure that the council would be looking for her and Jack, she was determined to keep her child's whereabouts unknown. The 13 year-old looked at window and saw his mother fly away from the tower. He tried to go after her but his dragon abilities were shut down by the structure and he was stuck in his human form. Jack looked very much extraordinary compared to humans since dragons were blessed with the faces of angels, he had hair that was so white it could blend in the snow, his eyes were as blue as the sky and his skin pale. The boy wrapped his arms around himself in an attempt to comfort his breaking heart.

His eyes roamed around the area and found how big it was. Its stony walls were covered in his mother's plants and flowers. He stood up when he found a bed situated at the far right of the room, the bed was blue and had white sheets on them just like the ones he had at home.

Home. Jack's lips trembled while he tried to contain his tears. He was so far away from his kind and from his mom. He didn't understand why she had to contain him in such a place. Different thoughts ran through his mind about it. He crawled up in the bed and went into a fetal position. He decided that maybe all of what was happening to him was just a dream and that he will wake up soon enough.

But sadly, it wasn't a dream.

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Chapter 1: The Bounty

It has been 5 years since the land was covered in ice, 5 years since they saw a blast of light coming from the north, and in these 5 years no one in Berk has figured out what happened. All they knew was that it came from a blast of light.

Half a decade ago, the land was currently on its way to spring, everywhere you went was full of flowers and plants. It was a glorious time for the people. The men went on doing their everyday work, plowing the fields, fishing, mining and hunting for the betterment of their lives. Children were scattered everywhere, playing to their hearts content. Then the light came, all of the work ceased as they watched a snow creep up from the source and into Berk. It wasn't a pretty sight since all of the people's hard work were killed by the ice. The men and women were clueless as to how to live in the cold that was until they got used to it. Some of them learned to cope since they have been living in the condition for 5 years but some couldn't and were left to die.

Stoick the Vast, the chief, didn't know what to do with the unending snow. His people couldn't grow vegetation and they have had so much difficulty in getting food. It was getting out of hand. There were people dying of the cold and there were others who have gotten sickly. Every day they had to shovel through piles of snow that increased during the night in order to get by. The people were getting tired and he had to end this or otherwise, his son will be left with nothing.

One weekday morning, he formulated a plan. That particular day of the week, the chief had a duty to announce any upcoming events, some statistics, people to be mentioned and declarations. As he stood in front of the podium with his son named Hiccup by his side, he opened his mouth and shouted for everyone to listen.

"People of Berk! We have been plagued by this snow for half a decade now and it has taken its toll on our land and on us. Living has become a task, it has become a great difficulty. I do not want this to happen to us especially to the future generations. All of us can recall the light that came from that direction" he pointed "the north. We have to end this misery that is bathed in ice. We have to find whatever caused this and put an end to it. NOW!"

Hiccup glanced at his father and then to the people who were cheering. He knew how unpredictable and dangerous his father's ideas can be, and he was worried that it might bring harm to some unfortunate others. Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III was the only son of Stoick and the late Valka. At 20 years old, he stands at six feet and an inch tall, his features very similar to his mother but his spirit was of his father's.

"I need volunteers who are willing to fight for Berk. I need volunteers who are willing to go up the north and find out what made this wretched curse, and finally put an end to this. The champion shall receive the second highest position of chieftain and a life of luxury. Please step up if you have what it takes."

The heir's eyes widened at his father's final sentence. He's always wanted to know what lay beyond the place and explore the hidden gems in the world. Hiccup longed for freedom and adventure, it was something that his father never let him do because of fear that he might not survive. This was his chance and although he knew Stoick wouldn't allow him, he had just the excuse.

Dozens of men stepped forward, they were all young men who looked a little older than Hiccup and it was apparent that all of them were seeking glory from this quest. Vikings were prideful men and these missions made them even god-like in status when they come home. Hiccup saw some of his friends in the line-up, raising his brow when he saw a particular friend amongst them. Unlike the other women who wanted nothing more than the peace of their homes, Astrid was a fighter. Yes, there was a girl in the mix. The years of training that she did showed on her, her blonde hair in a braid and her favorite weapon, an ax, in her hand. She and Hiccup knew each other since they were still toddlers and often times, the blonde would prove to the brunette that she was better than him. Up to this day, Hiccup still cannot beat her at anything. She wanted to prove that she was stronger than the rest and she sought fame and glory much more than all of the men combined, that was something that he will never understand about her.

"I am grateful for these young folks who have volunteered themselves for the greater good of our lands. Odin will be pleased because of the bravery that you have put out, and we shall all call upon the mighty gods for your safety. Bring what you must in this journey and remember these two simple words that kept our ancestors alive during their time. No mercy!"

The volunteers cheered as they raised their fists in the air. People raised their hands as well and clapped for the brave men and woman. The chief went back inside his home, where his office was situated, with Hiccup trailing behind him. The building was the biggest in all of Berk and it was at the center, it has housed generations of chiefs both great and weak. Stoick smiled at the thought of ending this winter, surely there has to be someone from those group of people who can defeat whatever made this. He was so deep in thought that he didn't notice his son calling out to him until he snapped his fingers in front of his eyes.

"Dad! DAD!"

"I'm sorry boy, I'm just thinking about all of this. What is it?"

"Uhm…I know that you probably won't like what I'm going to say but please accept it."

Hiccup felt nervous. Although this was the 12th time that he will ask his father about going out of Berk, he couldn't help but wonder whether he was going to give him the same answer once more or will he change his mind. After all, Hiccup was already an adult and he has to experience things that a chief may eventually encounter in his lifetime.

"Go on."

"I want to join the hunt."

Stoick looked at his son as if he'd seen a ghost, any motion of his went still for a good 30 seconds. He knew that Hiccup was of age and that he could very well take care of himself, he was his son after all. Every time that he asked, he always said no and the chief believed that he was protecting him and the future of Berk. Stoick sighed while he stared at his son and how the years of training made him look. Perhaps he only said no not because of fear that there would no longer be a chief to replace him but maybe because of the fear of losing his only son and the only part of his wife that remained with him. He closed his eyes and made a decision.

"Fine."

That single word made Hiccup's eyes grow wide and he couldn't believe it. He was allowed to go out of the land and finally do something he thought was worthwhile. He's the son of Stoick the Vast after all.

"Wait…seriously?"

"Just be back my son. Do not fail me" the chief said with a defeated tone. He couldn't keep his son within his grasp forever so he let him go. Hiccup ran for his room in order to prepare, he and the others were going to leave at noon so he had to move fast. Weapons, that was the first thing he grabbed while packing, such as a few throwing knives that were strapped in a belt, a curved sword, and a few spare blades hidden in his clothes. He took few some of the basic necessities such as a flint and steel, a thick rope and a small stone bowl, and threw everything inside his bag. Hiccup didn't want to bring too much items since it will only slow him down so when he finished, he wrapped his coat around himself and went back to his father in order to say his goodbyes.

He saw him sitting across the room, a drink in his hand and looking very weary. The boy knew very well that he was the cause of his troubles and so he sat down beside him. They sat there in silence until Stoick opened his mouth.

"My boy, why do you seek to go out of Berk?"

Hiccup was slightly startled at his father's question and it made him think. He already knew that he wanted to go out and discover things in the world, he wanted to see how far the world goes but why couldn't he answer that? His mind rambled for some sort of hidden truth behind his desire for adventure. At a very young age, his mother used to show him sketches and books about different lands. She showed him pictures of places where there were mountains that exploded, water that fell from tall rock structures and his favorite, the creatures that thrived in various parts of the earth. As Hiccup went through his memories, something became apparent.

"Because of mom. I want to be able to see the things that she showed me when she was still here. Mom wanted to see these things too but she didn't get the chance. She is the deep reason as to why I'm always asking to be able to go out of Berk, to fulfill what she didn't."

The brunette's voice was firm even through his slightly nasaly tone. He was prepared for his father to make an outburst and not allow him to go on the quest. He closed his eyes in order to prepare himself but he didn't expect a pair huge warm arms surrounding him. Stoick didn't usually showed that much affection and Hiccup could count with his fingers as to how many hugs he has received from him while growing up and they were usually quick ones. This is the first time that he embraced him for so long that he felt slightly uncomfortable but he was okay with it. He returned the hug and rested his head on his father's shoulders.

"Oh Hiccup…I wish your mother could've seen how much you've grown to be like her."

"No dad. I do have her will but I have your spirit. I want to make you proud dad."

The chief held his son at arm's length with tears building up in his eyes. He refused to cry especially in front of Hiccup. Sighing, he patted his son at the back and escorted him outside to join the others. The young people were waiting outside and were shocked to see the heir joining them. Hiccup felt uncomfortable with the many eyes that seemed to be burning into his soul. He knew that there would be people who would get angry with him going on with them because it wasn't fair if he did manage to complete it.

"Before I let you all go on to your quest, I would like you all to acknowledge my son's request to join. He shall not be rewarded if he does come home as the champion, it will only prove that he is a worthy successor and a mighty chief.

It has been a miserable 5 years in this snow. We have been suffering from it long enough and I am grateful for each and every one of you who are standing in front of me today. I wish a safe trip for all of you and may the gods guide you. Your efforts shall not be for nothing because this is for the future of Berk. You may go."

Stoick waved them off and looked at his son who waved back. He surely was going to miss Hiccup but he had to find himself.

The sun was up high that it illuminated the frozen sea when Hiccup and the others went north. Due to the buildup of ice and snow, no one was really scared of walking across the waters. It was still dangerous of course and a few have perished while crossing it but that was only a handful. The brunette looked around to see who else was in the competition though he could only name a few. Astrid was one of them of course. A chubby blonde in a furry brown coat named Fishlegs was over at his left and a confident looking brunette named Snotlout was at his right. Hiccup met Fishlegs when they were 8 years old, both of them were the only ones in their earlier training to be very immersed in books rather than in combat. They both shared a passion for animals and they both wanted to see them in person. Snotlout, however, was the heir's cousin. He was one of the few relatives who thought that Hiccup was not worthy of being chief and that they, themselves, should be hailed as one. So then he trained in order to prove that point but so far it hasn't worked out the way he planned.

"Shut it."

"You ain't the boss of me!"

Two voices with the same ragged tone came from behind Hiccup. He immediately noticed four braided blonde hair and two pairs of similar limbs, and knew exactly who they were since just like Fishlegs and Snotlout, he knew them since they were children. Fraternal twins, Ruffnut and Tuffnut have always been at their necks since the moment they were born. They were constantly bickering about nonsense to the point that sometimes Hiccup thinks that they might kill each other but their bond is one of the most unbreakable things ever.

They all trudged along the fragile path and into the mountains, Hiccup needs to reach the mountains before sun down or else they'll be sleeping under a layer of ice. There has to be something in his bag that could make him go faster. He stopped for a moment and went through his belongings while the others passed by him. Smirks playing on their faces as they saw the son of the chief rummaging around his stuff.

Hiccup breathed in relief when he saw his spare blades which were flat and the piece of rope. He tied both ends of the blade in order for the piece to form into a loop and attached it to his boots. There were two blades for each pair of footwear so that he could balance. The brunette has done this before so he wasn't as afraid as he was the first time. He stood up and tied his bag across his shoulder while trying to maintain the strength in his legs. He moved around a bit to test whether or not it was durable and when he found that it was he immediately went forward.

His legs moved right, left, right and left. Hiccup coordinated every muscle in his body to move as fast as he can because he already saw the last bit of light from the sun was fading away. He could call it the most exhilarating moment of his 20 years of existence. The wind blew past his face, a painful yet wonderful sensation that Hiccup loved. A few people heard the zooming sound of Hiccup's skates and were surprised to see how swift he was. Some cheered while others cursed for they clearly have underestimated him. In a matter of two minutes, he already had passed them and was almost near the foot of the mountain.

As he stopped in front of the tall mass of land, he removed the blades and shoved them in his bag. His fellow competitors were nowhere in sight so he thanked Skadi for keeping him above the waters while he glided across it. It was the first time that he saw a mountain up close and a magnificent one at that. He climbed up ahead quickly since the moon was beginning to ascend and he needed to seek shelter.

With his feet being engulfed by heaps of white powder, he slowly but surely went further into the woods around and looked for a cave of some sorts. As the sun slowly went down, he smiled for it was the most wonderful day he had. He let his eyes wander for a bit, letting it intake all of the beauty that it could but it was cut short when he heard grumbling. He was hungry.

'Birds. I need to find a bird' he thought to himself as he searched the sky for the winged creature and prepared a blade that was tied to a rope, praying that his knife throwing skills were good enough. Hiccup extended his arm behind his back with the weapon firmly in his grasp and the bird just a few feet away. He took a deep breath and pressed his arm forward, the knife flying towards the bird and stabbing its wing. Thanks to the rope, the brunette didn't have to look for the fallen animal. He pulled it all the way until he can see his kill and it was a bloody murdered mess.

He removed the blade and started pulling its feathers. Once done, he took out the flint and steel that he packed and made a little fire over some dry branches that he pulled out from the nearby trees. He left a long piece of branch to stick out of the ground and used it to pierce the bird in the middle in order to roast it near the fire.

While waiting for his meal to cook, he took out his leather wrapped notebook and wrote a few notes along with some illustrations about the start of his journey. Hiccup made a habit of documenting things that happened to him especially extraordinary ones. He drew the skates that he made and wrote a few notes on how to better it. There were also some writings about how the mountains and the trees looked like. He didn't dwell on it that much because he was very famished. Seeing as the bird was already cooked due to the slightly blackened skin, he closed the notebook and reached for the stick. Just as he was about to bite into the flesh, he heard distinct voices coming from behind him.

The voices were coming closer and closer so he had to find somewhere to go for he knew that they would want to have his head for going past them in the ice. The height of the trees was something that he hasn't seen before and so he decided to climb one, thinking that maybe this could serve as his hide out during the night. It lessened his need to be on guard for predators and he could sleep well during the dark. Hiccup perched himself up on the middle branch and tied his legs on it, making sure that he doesn't fall to his death while in slumber. The cooked bird wrapped gently in a piece of cloth inside his bag and the fire extinguished and covered in snow. He waited for the people to pass him since it was the knowledge of everyone that Vikings had a keen sense of hearing. A single noise could alert them so he didn't want to make that mistake.

'I guess I'll eat this tomorrow then' Hiccup sighed in defeat. He was really looking forward to eating after that day and since his stomach wasn't filled, his body replied with a huge dose of Melatonin causing his eyes to droop. He didn't remember much of the babbling below him as he was engulfed in deep sleep.

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 **AUTHOR'S NOTES**

 **I want to thank my sister for this awesome idea. I hope you guys enjoy it and please do review, I really appreciate it when you do and it help sme think about the possible outcomes. Also, do read my ongoing fic Do Me Right and my one-shot That Day, both of them are Hijack.**

 **Thanks guys! See you in the next chapter!**


	2. Chapter 2 - The Run

**AUTHOR'S NOTES**

Sorry guys for the very late update! I have been very busy in uni and since I'm already finished with most of my schoolwork plus we have a week of no classes since my country is hosting the APEC summit this year…I had time to write. Anyway, I do hope that you guys enjoy this :)

Follow, Favorite and Review! I love reading all of the reviews, it gives me such joy whenever I read them.

* * *

Chapter 2 – The Run

Hiccup woke up to the sun's glare on his eyes, he could tell that it was around 6 am due to the shadows that the trees casted. As he stretched his limbs, he stared at the vast horizon, admiring all of nature's glory. The brunette was amazed as to how light made the snow look, it was as if he died and went to paradise. He looked down from where he was settled to check whether there were anyone who was camping or waiting below. He didn't want to risk being caught by anyone. Seeing as no one could be found, he removed his bindings and proceeded to go down from the tree, landing softly on the snow below. Hiccup could still see traces of the left over camping post his fellow Vikings left. To him, that was a sloppy thing for them to do since the others may be able to use it in order to trace their whereabouts.

The boy had long prepared for this moment, making little notes here and there when he had the time. Sometimes, Stoick would find his son sketching weapons and gears and he would often ask what they were for. Hiccup would only shrug and say "It might come of use to me someday." Someday came sooner than he imagined and he wasn't complaining.

The bird that he had cooked last night was a little bit cold but food was food. He ate the whole lot thinking that he might not have a chance to hunt later. He scarfed down his meal as quickly as he could to avoid anyone bumping into him.

Hiccup took out his white fur coat and wrapped it around himself. Vikings usually didn't use white as coats since it would get dirty in a matter of minutes but Hiccup thought ahead since there might come a time that he thought that there might come a time where he would need to camouflage in the snow. The fur was light and it wasn't bulky like most so that it wouldn't become much of a hassle for him to carry or to run in. With the article of clothing wrapped around him, he pulled out a couple of daggers just in case he might get attacked. Hiccup trudged along the path, continuing his journey. He wanted to make sure that he was the first one on the north mountain so that he could maximize his stay there since he desired to be able to document everything he'll see up there. The fur coat dragged behind him, covering up his tracks.

As the sun went up so did Hiccup. As he walked along the powdered path, he thought about his mother. How she would have loved to see everything that he was seeing right now. She would've swooned over all of the flora and fauna that could be seen around the mountain. Valka was a free spirit and she would've chosen this life over what she had at Berk, Hiccup knew that for a fact. He found himself smiling at the thought of her and how she would lie down next to him before her slept, telling him of all the wondrous things that could be found all over the world. Up until now, the pain of losing her was still fresh in his mind.

The heir sighed and took a well-deserved rest. He had been walking for only an hour and he was already tired. Well, that's what he got for always skipping on training. Seeing as he really had to relax his legs for a while, he took out his notebook and pencil, and started sketching his surroundings. Hiccup tried his best to capture that beautiful expanse of land that was in front of him as well as the variation of plants and animals that are displayed. Taking note of how the light hit every object while snacking on the berries found in the bush nearby. He was halfway done with his sketch when he heard voices nearby. Adrenaline rushed through his veins and he went to the nearby rock shelter in order to hide.

"We have to kill him."

"Why? This is wrong! I won't help you into doing this!"

"Do you want the prize or not?"

Hiccup recognized both of the voices. Although he didn't personally know them, he knew it from the accent. These people were from Berk and they were planning on murdering someone, and he was about to find out who. He peered from where he was hiding to see their faces. It was a man and a woman, the man was in a ponytail to keep his wild red mane from getting to his face, his skin was pale as the snow and he had a muscular built. The woman on the other hand had blonde hair that was in a low ponytail, her eyes were brown and she was slim. They were clearly both trained to survive harsh conditions.

"I do but…"

"But what Abbie!?"

The man crossed his arms in protest. Even though he wasn't much of an athlete, Hiccup was clearly too smart for all of them so it would be near impossible to beat him to the top of the mountain. They wouldn't get what they wanted him he was still alive so he proposed an idea that would eradicate the young heir.

"Einar! He's the chief's son!"

Hiccup gasped and he found his body moving back. His feet were slowly starting to go into panic mode. They wanted to kill him. He never wanted to think about him being a potential threat since he thought that he wasn't that much of a big deal to them but hearing all of this made him rethink. Hiccup may not be the strongest of the bunch but he was the smartest. Trying to steady his breathing, he didn't notice a group of pebbles behind him so when he stepped back, they moved and made a noise that wouldn't go unnoticed. "Oh shit..."Einar and Abbie had just found their prey.

Hiccup ran as fast as his scrawny legs could get him, looking back every once and a while to check on how far he was from them. With each step he took, he felt as if they were taking three. It was as if they were in a maze of trees with the brunette swerving and curving just to get away from his attackers.

"Give it up Haddock!"

A knife went flying by Hiccup's side. The pair were getting desperate since they were starting to use their weapons. One, two and three, he dodged every one of them. He admitted to himself that he only managed to escape them because he was high in adrenaline. In an effort to stay alive, Hiccup found himself talking to them.

"Abbie!" he said.

"WHAT!?"

The brunette didn't want all of this to happen. He only wanted to be able to see the outside world and to figure out what was causing all of this snow…so he tried to reason out. It was the most sensible thing to do seeing as he had no way out of this run.

"Abbie! You don't have to do this! This isn't you!"

Hiccup swore that he had never seen anyone's eyes turn from exhaustion to anger. She looked at him like she was a lion hunting a lamb, and for the first time ever he heard her shout.

"YOU NEVER HAD TO PROVE YOURSELF TO ANYONE! YOU ALWAYS HAD IT EASY HADDOCK!" she breathed "YOU DON'T HAVE TO SLAVE AWAY YOUR WHOLE CHILDHOOD JUST TO MAKE PEOPLE ACCEPT YOU! YOU…MOTHERFUCKER…YOU WERE BORN ACCEPTED!"

Even her companion was taken aback by her statement. From their childhood days, Abbie wasn't the type to get mad although she was a fierce competitor in their combat class. Her biggest weakness was her heart, she always forgave people even though it was something very serious so seeing her like this means she was breaking. He knew that this "competition" will bring out the best and the worst in all of the people who joined but he never expected this.

Hiccup swore that they had been running for almost 30 minutes by now. His thighs were burning and his back was aching. The snow was becoming too much for him for he started taking huge leaps in order to get away from them with his legs sinking into the powder. He could tell that the two were also starting to tire from the chase. The brunette searched for a hideaway wherein he could quickly get in and out once the coast was clear. His body went into fatigue when his legs gave up and Hiccup fell into the snow.

"Shit..oh shit" he cursed under his shaky breath. He tried to get up in a desperate attempt to save his life. With his body on top of heaps of shredded ice, he was certainly freezing. He was shivering and his fingers were going numb. As he tried to make another petty attempt to get away, a dagger went straight into his hand and he wailed in agony while pulling the blade out.

"We've caught you Haddock. Give it up." Einar said while he and Abbie stood before the heir.

"Please guys, you don't have to do this."

Einar unsheathed his sword. The metal glinting in the dying sunlight as he raised it above his head. Hiccup closed his eyes and prayed to his mother. This was how his life was going to end. Freezing on a foreign land and killed by his people. This wasn't how he pictured his death. Hiccup didn't see Abbie look away.

"Sorry.." the other man said and he brought the blade down towards the brunette, who had his life flashing before him, except it didn't hit him. Hiccup opened his eyes and saw an arrow protruding from his attacker's body. Nillo's face in total shock while he clutched his bleeding chest. "What?" he said as he looked behind him. It was Asta, Einar's sister. Her dark hair was twisted into a braided bun and her body lean and erect. You could see the fury in her eyes as well as the building disappointment. She walked towards the trio in dramatic fashion with her chest prominently rising and falling.

Asta was one of Stoick's trusted warriors. She was top of the class when they graduated and she could bring down any man or woman. She was known as the "Panther" because she was just like the legendary creature, one that was often depicted as a large cat with a multicolored hide. Although she did not emit a sweet smell just like it but it was the same as having a face that could launch a thousand ships. With her beauty, she could put any man in a trance and then once they get hooked by the seductive woman, she pounces for the kill. Asta was chosen as one of the leaders of the fleet of warriors, many have protested against it since she was a woman but Stoick knew better. He knew that these men were only jealous of what she had accomplished and he knew that their pride had been stained since she had defeated nearly all of them.

"Hiccup…" she said while holding her hand out and helping him up. Hiccup grew up with Asta because his father would usually leave him with her whenever he went out to sail or to meetings. She thought him the basics of combat and was just like the sibling he never had. He recalled being bullied by her brother, his defeated attacker, because of the fact that she spent more time with the heir than her own family. Somehow without them knowing, it all led to this.

Einar, who was on his knees, looked at Hiccup and then back at his sister. His face showing pure disbelief. Asta, on the other hand, had a poker face but her eyes showed pure disdain. Einar's companion Abbie was long gone.

"Why?" he asked "I'm your brother!"

"You are not my brother. I do not share my blood with traitors just like you."

Hiccup intervened "Asta. He's dying."

The red head pulled the arrow from his chest resulting in a slick stabbing sound, his clothing drenched in blood. His hands trembled at the sight, his eyes darting from his torso to the two people in front of him.

"Leave him." She said as she grabbed Hiccup's hand and took him north. With his last breath, Einar spoke "You never loved me…did you Asta?"

She stopped "I never had" and turned to him "and I never will."

Hiccup knew that the woman was cold but he never expected her to be like this. Asta never showed emotion, that's what he recalled. She wore a mask that was the result of the harsh training that she went through growing up but she always had a soft spot whenever he got hurt. Just as they were about to move forward, the brunette couldn't help himself and asked "What are you doing here?"

She ignored his question and pressed on, not wanting to answer his question but Hiccup wasn't having it. He had a feeling about why she came there but he didn't want to assume that. He pulled her arm to turn her towards him.

"TELL ME!" he yelled. Hiccup never yelled at Asta before but he was all grown up now and he wanted some answers.

"Fine. I'll tell you…" she looked down "your father told me to follow you, just in case anything happens."

Hiccup fumed. He always knew that his father had little faith in his abilities but this was ridiculous. Yes, he may have been looking out for his best interest but this was getting out of hand. Hiccup can be his own man if his father would just stop hovering around him. He was an adult and he wanted to be treated like one. Hiccup wouldn't be able to do that if his never didn't trust him. He grunted and replied "Well…I can take care of myself!" The brunette walked fast as if he didn't fall and almost got killed. Hiccup wasn't the type to get mad but right now, he was.

Asta tried to reason "You almost died out there! Without me, you wouldn't be standing here right now in front of me!" but Hiccup wasn't having it. He ignored her and continued on with his journey, stopping after about 10 steps and said "Don't follow me."

"But…"

"I SAID…" he sighed and spoke weakly "don't…"

"Hiccup!" the raven head shouted in an attempt to stop the heir. He didn't look back.

The moon was rising and the temperature was decreasing. The brunette found solace in a small cave that was around three quarters of the mountain with a tree wrapped on top of it. The roots providing a passage way to the inside. He had been walking for a good hour before he found his hideout. Even though his mind told him to go further, his body refused to follow. Hiccup had a small fire going and was cooking a rat that he found inside his little shelter. The white coat that was wrapped around his body, was his source of warmth besides the fire.

As he stared at the burning embers, his mind flew to the events that occurred. His hand still stung from the deep cut that it had and his heart was stained. After all of the preparation that he made for this moment, he never did once think about being killed or killing. Even if he did grow up in a very brutal Viking community, he never once was a target since he was next in line for the "throne." If anybody dared lay a finger on him, his father would immediately have a trial and Hiccup would always have to stop him before he could kill that person.

Hiccup loved his father but he blamed him for everything that happened. If he wasn't his son then he wouldn't have to deal with these kind of problems, if he wasn't his son then he wouldn't be guarded 24/7, if he wasn't his son then he would be taken seriously as a real Viking and lastly, if he wasn't his son then he could have left ages ago.

All that pent up emotion spilled and racked through the brunette's body, burying his face in his hands. The look of Einar's face as his own sister betrayed him, haunting Hiccup. He sobbed until his eyes couldn't release anymore tears and he succumbed into a well needed deep sleep.

It was about midnight and Máni, the god of the moon, was at his peak.A tiny green glow sparked in front of the brunette, waking him. Entranced by the light, Hiccup squinted to see what the light was while his hand reached out for it but before he could touch it the light disappeared.

"I must be going crazy" said Hiccup while going back to his earlier position. Before he could close his eyes, the light appeared once more but this time, in multiples. It created a path towards something and it was calling out to him. Telling him to follow it.

"Hiccup…"

It was his mother's voice.


	3. Chapter 3 - Wrapped in Iron

**Chapter 3 – Wrapped in Iron**

 **AUTHOR'S NOTES**

Hey guys! Chapter 3 is up and I am sure that you will very much like this chapter :)

Review, Favorite and Follow!

* * *

"Mom…"

Hiccup breathed as he looked at the glowing orb. His heart fastened its pace while his eyes were dangerously close to spilling tears. He hadn't heard that voice in a long time and it felt so nice to hear it once more. The brunette stood up with his gaze following the path that this little light had created for him.

"Hiccup…" It called out his name again but this time in a more urgent tone, "follow me my son."

The brunette couldn't help but follow since there was a tiny glimmer of hope in his heart that he'd see his mother again if he does. He missed her terribly and would grab any chance just to be able to hold her once more. He went straight to wherever the lights where trailed to, one by one disappearing as he passed by them. The flowers seemed to open up as well due to whatever energy these little things were emitting.

Hiccup didn't notice a rustling in the bushes nearby. It seems that he wasn't the only one who took note of the light. Astrid and Snotlout were both sleeping in a tree nearby when they awoke from a bright energy coming from the other side of the tree.

Astrid stared as Hiccup followed the lights and it seemed as if he was talking to them. "What's he doing?" she said to the boy beside her. Both of them with similar looks on their faces. Hiccup was never one to believe in fairytales, he believed in facts. That was what the two friends knew about him. So seeing him follow a bunch of orbs was disturbing.

"Astrid. I think the voices are of his mom."

Snotlout, even though he hated Hiccup's guts, sympathized with his cousin since he was also very close to Valka. Although he didn't want to ruin the moment, this was the perfect opportunity to kill him. He took his sword from its sheath which startled the blonde beauty beside him. "Snotlout. No. Don't do this."

"I have to. This is my only chance" he said while slowly approaching the distracted heir. As he neared the lanky brunette, the lights glowed brighter then disappeared. Hiccup frantically looked around him and saw his cousin holding a sword, charging towards him.

"I just got out of a near death experience yesterday…now, another one!" Hiccup exasperated, unsheathing the large daggers that he had hid behind his back. It was a good thing that he prepared himself for the impact because Snotlout came and clashed blades with him, his arm strength was way too much for Hiccup to handle.

Sparks were flying as they hit each other, both trying not to get killed. Beads of sweat were forming on their temples. Hiccup needed to outsmart his cousin since he knew he was too weak to handle him. He threw one of his daggers towards Snotlout which, with a little bit of luck, hit him on the right shoulder. Blood started to pour out of the wound and instead of it weakening him, it only made him angrier.

As the larger of the two charged with an even greater force that what he had before, another blade hit his. It was an axe, Astrid's axe. Hiccup looked at the blonde with wide eyes. "Wha…what are you doing?" he asked between breaths. She locked eyes with him. Astrid was one of Hiccup's closest friends even though she would often times bully him. He knew that it was her way of showing affection.

"Go."

Her tensed muscles swung the axe with such force, knocking down the heir's cousin. "I SAID GO!" she screamed at the brunette. He stood up and ran immediately. He never fought Astrid since he knew that getting in her way would mean instant death. He trusted her with his life even though he felt that she wouldn't trust hers with him.

In just a few hours, he was on the run again and once again, someone was fighting his battles for him. He didn't like it one bit but it was the only way his saviors would have it. As he reached the face of the mountain, the little lights appeared once more travelling up towards the top.

"Follow me…" it said, guiding Hiccup to the edge.

"Where are you taking me? Mom?" he said as he propped himself up the rocky mountain side. He looked up and saw more lights that led to a tiny cave that was covered with crystal-like flowers. Hiccup scaled the mountain and estimated that it was a 20 feet drop from the opening that his mother was leading him to. It wasn't wise to trust glowing green orbs in the night that was speaking in his dead mother's voice but he figured that maybe the chance was worth taking. After all, he was here for the adventure anyway.

Climbing up the mountain side, the balls of light suddenly went around him in a protective manner making it easier for Hiccup to get there. He noticed the frost that was covering the rocks, it had miniature ornate designs that was definitely impossible to carve out. Wherever the lights were taking him, it must be towards whoever created the surge of snow throughout the lands.

He entered the small cave and saw a green flame at the end of it. It moved and shifted, turning into the figure that he hoped he'd see at the end of the trail. Valka floated off the ground, flames around her body and her figure translucent.

"My son…" her breaking voice said.

Hiccup's eyes welled up in tears. He hadn't seen her in so long and was happy that he found her. Everything that he went through the past couple hours was forgotten. The pain from the stab wound that he got while running from Einar had disappeared and the exhaustion from all the running that he did died down.

"Mommy" he sniffed, using mommy instead of mom turned him into a child again, "I missed you."

The tears spilled. The tears that he held up for so long went down, his knees following suit. He buried his face in his hands and sobbed. Valka looked at him, her eyes filled with guilt. She was guilty of leaving her only son in this cruel world. She had many regrets and many things that she wanted to do but nevertheless, she was happy. Valka was happy for how Hiccup grew into the man that she imagined him to be.

"Hiccup…come here."

The heir stood from his spot and walked towards the floating figure, sniffling as he did. His hand reached out, wanting to touch her, to feel the warmth that she had provided her. "Hiccup," she started "follow the light at the end of this tunnel and you will find what you are looking for" gesturing back.

"I love you so much son…" Valka's eyes were filled with sadness.

As Hiccup reached out to touch her ghostly hand, she vanished. Enveloping him in total darkness. He bowed his head, he knew that to be able to hold her was impossible since she was just a mere apparition but he wanted to try. It hurt when he saw his hand pass through and it hurt much more when she disappeared once more. Wiping his sad and tired eyes, he decided not to let this opportunity be wasted.

Forward he marched to the end of the cave. The view from the other side getting larger and larger with every inch he covered. Blue light started to hit his eyes as he neared. When he reached the end, his mouth dropped.

It wasn't like anything he had seen before. The place looked as if it had been a volcano long ago, moss and greenery, though painted in snow, covered every inch of the sides. Fireflies and other glowing insects flew all across the place. There were flowers that were touched with frost and some were made of ice. The moon seemed to glow brighter and was directly above a stone tower.

Hiccup, who was still marveled at the sight presented to him, slowly climbed down in order to further inspect the tower. It looked more than 36 feet tall and it was made of stone. The odd thing about it was that it was wrapped in iron chains and it went all around from the top to the bottom. Another strange thing was that it was the only thing in the whole area that wasn't covered in ice or snow.

"Hello! HELLO?!" he yelled.

Seeing as no one was answering, he decided that there was no harm in scaling up the tower to check whatever was inside. He held on to the iron chains and made his way. There were no doors so climbing the tower was his only option and there was only one entrance, a window on top. With every inch he managed, he noticed a slight green glow emitting from the chains. It was enchanted and he was sure of that. When he reached the only opening on the tower, he stumbled inside and landed on a plush white rug.

It was a room, a typical one at that. There was a cabinet on the far left side, a lot of books stacked all around, some papers decorating the floor, a small area where one could cook, a fire place and a bed. The dying remains of the fire was still fresh from the furnace meaning that there was someone who still lived there.

Hiccup walked around, inspecting everything that his eyes landed on. He jumped from book title to book title.

"The Great North Dragon…

…Dragon Traps

Giant Lizards…

Iron…

History of the Norwegian Dragon Tribe…"

There was a great amount of dragon books as if the owner was obsessed but there was something strange about the books the more he looked at them. They looked more life journals, there were traces of pen marks on them. The cover had handmade leather bounds and were decorated in scales that were too large to be from any reptile. Hiccup was about to open one of them when suddenly, a voice echoed around the room.

"Who are you?"

A loud thud came from behind Hiccup. The figure had been spying on him from above. Hiccup looked up to the wall as saw the shadow of the apparent resident of the place. It was boy who looked the same age as him, he looked fairly normal with his hair all spiking all over the place and his well-built body except fairly normal didn't mean completely. Hiccup would've stood up and confronted him but there was something about the shadow that stopped him. The boy had two bent horns poking out of this head.

"I said. Who are you?" he repeated.

With his heart racing, the brunette answered as he slowly turned around to get a good look at the creature behind him. "Hiccup, my name is…Hiccup Haddock the third from Berk." His eyes widened when he saw the boy before him. His skin was so pale as if the sun had never touched him, his hair was white just like snow and his eyes were as blue as it gets. His horn were the size of his head, it was white at the base that blended towards the ice looking tip. The left side of his body had very prominent scars, Hiccup figured since the boy's shirt didn't cover that much at all.

"Are you done staring?" he snarled.

"Sorry…"

The boy walked towards the bed and jumped on it. Hiccup followed him and sat at the foot of the bed, looking at the pale boy. Questions flooded him and he was struggling to find the right one.

"Has no one ever told you that it's bad to break into someone's place?" the horned boy boomed. He looked at Hiccup just like how a predator looks at his prey. His fists clenched tightly.

The brunette gulped then answered "The spirit of my mother led me here. I came all the way from Berk, my home, to look for answers that would solve the snow." The boy could only nod at him and they sat there in comfortable silence for at least 15 minutes or so.

"Jack."

The brunette was cut off from his thoughts and looked at the person in front of him, who was staring straight into his soul with his piercing eyes.

"My name is Jack, well my name really is Jacques but I prefer Jack." He sat up and scratched his head. Hiccup couldn't help but stare at his teeth as he talked. All of his pearly whites looked sharp, it was like looking at a lion's mouth. He shook himself out of his trance.

"Why are you here..uhm…Jack?" Hiccup asked as he watched Jack look down on his hands, his face in total and utter sadness. The brunette immediately regretted asking the question since the other was completely uncomfortable about it, he was about to take it back when Jack answered.

"My mother put me here."

Jack looked at Hiccup, who saw the battle between sadness and anger in his eyes. The white haired boy continued.

"Well…you see, I'm not human. My kind, we..uhm…we are ancient creatures that can transform from our original form to human form, we are called by many names but we are most known as dragons."

"So…the horns?"

"Yeah. Uhm…I tried to get out of the window once while transforming thus caused the mishap between dragon and human."

Hiccup sat there now in silence. He was still trying to process the whole thing in his mind. Many of the Viking journals and books at home were filled of stories about the legend of the dragons and how they migrated from one place to another, often times destroying human villages. His grandfather used to tell him that he had fought countless of the winged reptiles and had used their horns, teeth, nails and scales to create indestructible weaponry. Hiccup had asked countless of times as to why he never saw them, the only answer he always got was that they are now in fear of their kind but the truth was far from that. Dragons can appear human. Dragons have been living amongst them.

"Can I ask you something again?" Hiccup said.

"Yeah?"

"Why did she put you here?"

Jack scrunched his eyebrows. "Huh?"

"Your mother."

"She…she never…uhm. She never told me." He quietly said. Jack was starting to get comfortable around him so Hiccup pried more. He had a feeling that this boy was the answer to the snow. He needed to know more about him and his kind.

"Then why haven't you tried leaving?" the brunette asked.

"I did."

Just when Jack answered, ice started to spread from his hands and it slowly crept up to the walls. It created leaf like patterns all across the room. Hiccup's eyes grew wide and he stood up immediately from the bed before the frost touched him. He looked at Jack, who had icicles on his face since his tears froze the moment it touched his face. He then looked around as snow started to fall inside creating a layer of white powder on the things Jack had in there. Then it dawned on Hiccup.

Jack made it snow. Jack froze the bed. Jack could be the answer to the unending snow.


End file.
